


gremlin

by filmingloves



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Aquariums, Car Chases, Devoted Kylo Ren, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Dominant Kylo Ren, F/M, First Dates, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Misunderstandings, POV Rey (Star Wars), Possessive Kylo Ren, Protective Kylo Ren, Secret Crush, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27343765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/filmingloves/pseuds/filmingloves
Summary: In which Ben thinks they’re dating and Rey doesn’t know yet.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 18
Kudos: 129





	gremlin

She knows it’s a bad idea from the start.

Yet she still goes through with it anyway, nearly _jumps_ at the opportunity when Ben asks her to come with him to the local aquarium.

Suffice to say, it doesn’t go well. After they’ve seen the pufferfish exhibit, she succumbs to her instincts and asks him if he likes someone. He just shakes his head disbelievingly, and smiles a little. She takes it as an answer: He... he won’t tell her who. 

Which— okay, fine. He doesn’t have to tell her anything. 

But it would’ve been nice to know before she fell for him.

Then again, she probably would have fallen in love with Ben either way.

Throughout the evening, her mood grows progressively darker as she tries to imagine who it is that he likes, and gets so angry she has to dig her nails into her skin and bite her lip, hard, to keep from doing something crazy. She finally loses it when she asks him if he’s kissed this mysterious girl yet, and his ears flush dark red.

There’s that familiar, stinging sensation in her eyes, and burning in her nose, and she knows she’s about to cry. 

How idiotic had she been to actually think he maybe liked her? He didn’t. He didn’t like her, he liked someone else. And now, he probably— Ben probably wanted to leave her. And being the stubborn little scavenger she knew she was, she was probably making him uncomfortable.

“I gotta go,” She mutters hurriedly, and turns. “I—I can’t do this anymore.”

“Rey?” He calls, trying to turn her to face him with his stupid, beautiful large hands. “Rey, what—“

She doesn’t want to hear more about why he’s in love with someone else. Someone who’s not her. Quick on her feet, Rey sprints to the exit, walking out into the dark night as she raises her hand for an Uber.

Unfortunately, there aren’t very many right now. They’ve overstayed their time at the aquarium, and now most everyone is gone.

She hears the faint hum of his Mercedes, and then a yell. “Baby! Where are you going? Get in the car, sweetheart, I didn’t know you wanted to leave now.”

The endearments just make it hurt more. They’re a reminder that he will never love her more than a friend. It’s cruel, but true, and it breaks her heart.

“No,” She says petulantly, not bothering to turn around. 

“I’m walking home,” She adds hastily.

He growls and pokes his stupid large head out the window. “Baby, this is not up for discussion. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but if you think I’d ever let you walk home all alone like this, you are mistaken.”

She ignores him, keeping her head high as she almost slams face first into a very obviously drunk, middle aged man. She reels back, apologizing profusely until she notices his overt leering. Severely uncomfortable, and disgusted, she takes a few hasty steps backward but the man follows her movement.

“Fucking hell,” Ben snarls as he’s out of the car in a flash, yanking the man off of her and throwing him to the ground. She lets out a surprised gasp as he pulls her into his arms, tucking her into the space within his chest, his strong biceps around her trembling self.

He is trembling, too, but whether it is from anger or fear she can’t tell. 

Ben opens the car door with one hand, and deposits her in the passenger seat with the other. She stays quiet as he reaches over, his mouth a hard line as he pulls the seatbelt over her.

Rey looks out the window as the aquarium becomes a smaller and smaller dot in the distance, if only to distract herself from the deafening silence.

He finally says something when they’re on the freeway. 

“Do you...” He sounds strained. “Baby, do you not want to do this anymore?” He takes a ragged breath. “You... you don’t want me? You can say so. You don’t have to lie to me.”

She is confused. Is he talking about the mysterious girl he likes—

His lip trembles a little and he forces himself to look away from her, his jaw tight. “I’m only saying so... because I can be better. If you still want me. If you do, I can try to be better for you.”

“What are you talking about, Ben?” She says, confused. They start to pull up in his driveway. 

None of this makes sense. 

Then a terrible thought occurs to her.

“Are you practicing for the girl you like?” Her voice breaks. “Because I don’t want to be the person you practice on, Ben. That’s just not fair, not at all. I don’t know who she is, but she doesn’t love you like— ” 

Rey realizes what she’s just said, and claps a horrified hand to her mouth. 

Ben’s eyes light up— instantly, like he’s realized something, but doesn’t dare believe it.

He breaks the car suddenly, sharply outside the door, and takes off her seatbelt, pulling her into his arms. She’s confused, but out of habit let’s one hand hold his nape and the other curl into his hair, while she settles more comfortably in his lap.

He starts to laugh and she gets furious, real quick. “Why are you laughing? Is this funny to you, Ben? Are my feelings a joke to you— '

“You little sand gremlin.”

“Ben, I told you not to call me that—“

“I like it, gremlin, so I will.” Then his expression turns a little nervous and closes his eyes as she explores the contours of his face with her small fingers. Her thumb reaches his lips, when he speaks: “I thought we were. . . dating.”

She lets out a tiny gasp, and his arms tighten around her. “I didn’t— but I thought— what about—“

He seems to gather the worst from her fumbling, nervous speech and his smile is gone as quickly as it came. 

He cuts her off. “It’s okay, bab—Rey.” He attempts to smile painfully, but then gives up. “I should’ve known that you were way out of my league. But I really— _Rey_. I really think I could be good for you.”

He looks miserable, but resigned, as if he’s expected this. “But I understand. I’m sorry.” 

She kisses him.

She kisses his ears, then his forehead, his cheeks, chin, and then finally, places a soft shy one to his mouth. 

Ben looks shocked, but recovers quickly. “Ah, gremlin. So I was right.”

She scrunches up her nose adorably. “Right about what?”

“You’re a feral, _possessive_ gremlin, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

He tweaks her nose and she grumbles angrily about him being too sly for his own good as they ride off into the highway, reveling in this newfound information as they take the route to where home is— anywhere, together.


End file.
